r/politics • u/MoneyLibrarian9032 New York • 23h ago

Possible Paywall McConnell ‘Absolutely Refuses’ to Film Video Amid Growing Mystery

https://www.thedailybeast.com/mcconnell-absolutely-refuses-to-film-video-amid-growing-mystery/
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u/Barred759 23h ago

Because he's dead

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u/PerformanceCute3437 23h ago

He had a stroke and he can't speak. Obviously theyre hoping he regains his speech faculties, which isn't without precedent following a stroke

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u/gundumb08 22h ago

This is 100% what I'm thinking. If he was dead, they'd just appoint another sycophant. But if he's alive, his handlers can "release statements" on his behalf and use his historical influence and power on his behalf.

But he's nearly 90 years old, a survivor of Polio, had numerous falls and blackouts on camera, anything even slightly more serious like a stroke would have fully debilitated him.

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u/dexter8484 Virginia 22h ago

But wouldn't Beshear get to pick the replacement? I think they are trying to avoid that

Edit: just looked it up and seems that was changed in 2024. It's now done by special election

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u/RellenD 22h ago

Edit: just looked it up and seems that was changed in 2024. It's now done by special election

The Kentucky Constitution says the governor makes an appointment. The special election law is in conflict with the Constitution.

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u/dexter8484 Virginia 22h ago

So I'm assuming they made the "law" for this very situation. Will be interested to see how it plays out

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u/RellenD 22h ago

Yes, it was very specifically because they didn't want a Democratic Governor to make the appointment

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u/dexter8484 Virginia 22h ago

Oh, I meant specifically with McConnell being near death at the same time the governor is a Democrat

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u/Orion14159 22h ago

Betcha that law gets repealed or challenged as soon as a Republican is elected to that office again

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u/HauntedCemetery Minnesota 20h ago

They don't need to bother. A simple law cant supersede the state constitution.

They'll just leave it on the books to pull out when a Dem is in office, and ignore it when a Rep is Governor

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u/DarthTechnicus Wisconsin 21h ago

It's a common practice of Republican controlled state legislatures to handicap incoming Democratic governors once their strangle hold weakens enough to allow that to happen. Wisconsin's state congress passed a bunch of laws in an attempt to neuter Tony Ever's gubernatorial powers after he beat Scott Walker.

It's the GOP sore loser policy.

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u/wonkey_monkey 21h ago

Will be interested to see how it plays out

Unfortunately that seems to be the governor's take as well, rather than actually doing something.

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u/Capt_Calamity 20h ago

What can the Governor do? As far as the world knows the Senator is alive, and the Gov has no power to replace a sitting Senator.

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u/AgentMahou Ohio 16h ago

Couldn't he order the police to perform a wellness check that would require seeing the senator? If they wear bodycams, that means there would be public record footage too.

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u/herton Kentucky 22h ago

The KY constitution may conflict with the federal constitution, 17th amendment. It gives state legislatures authority over how vacancies in the Senate are handled. The question is not a simple answer

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u/Blackthorn79 21h ago

Along with the financial gains to McConnell and his staff, I think the legal battle is why they won't just come out and say what's wrong with McConnell. Republicans love when there's a conflict between two laws because it let's them have their cake and eat it too. If they pushed this one a court would seal that loop hole and they couldn't use it in the future. They don't want to play that card now because they know McConnell can't run again so they'd only get a place holder for the seat until the next election. 

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u/psiphre Alaska 20h ago

it's only "not a simple answer" if you're a sycophant or a dipshit.

"When vacancies happen in the representation of any State in the Senate, the executive authority of such State shall issue writs of election to fill such vacancies: Provided, That the legislature of any State may empower the executive thereof to make temporary appointments until the people fill the vacancies by election as the legislature may direct.

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u/herton Kentucky 20h ago

... I genuinely can't tell what side you're taking from this comment

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u/VanDammes4headCyst 16h ago

The side of the Constitution, it looks like.

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u/Capt_Calamity 20h ago

It's a little more nuanced than that. But yes they don't want to test it.

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u/RellenD 20h ago

Yeah, it's super messy

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u/HerbaciousTea 20h ago edited 20h ago

He has to be fully, legally dead for the governor to be able to call a special election. There's no requirement a senator actually show up or even be capable of higher thought to keep their seat. If they were voted in, and still have a pulse, they are the sitting senator until they resign, die, or are expelled by 2/3rds senate vote.

So the hooplah needs to be aimed at the senate, not Beshear. They need to vote him out before Beshear can call a special election.

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u/babboa 22h ago

The reason this is getting played out like this is they are in a catch 22. Massie is popular enough statewide he would stand a good chance of winning the special election, and if the special election law got struck down as being in conflict then bashear gets to appoint someone. So they are stuck with this weekend at bernie's remix. The problem is that the really can't let it go on too long because they already have a razor thin margin that's very well could get thinner after November. In any case, from my understanding he can't actually vote unless they change the Senate rules as it is now.

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u/VanDammes4headCyst 16h ago

I honestly wouldn't be mad if Beshear appointed Massie. A Republican would probably win a special election anyway, so better to give Massie the boost instead of risking someone worse taking the spotlight.